Provinces Minor Hockey Week kicked off in Wabush Jan. 12

Labrador West minor hockey players Brayden King and Zanita Fancy help cut the cake to mark the start of Minor Hockey Week. - Mike Power

The Labrador West Minor Hockey Association (LWMHA) was chosen to host the signing of the declaration that proclaimed Minor Hockey Week from Jan. 12-19 across Newfoundland and Labrador.

On hand for the ceremony was Arnold Kelly of Happy Valley-Goose Bay, chair of minor hockey LWMHA president Junior Humphries. The proclamation was held on Jan. 12 at the Bill Chaplin Arena in Wabush.

As well there was an enthusiastic group of young hockey players and their parents.

Kelly told The Aurora there are about 10,000 participants in minor hockey programs across Newfoundland and Labrador.

“This year we want to emphasize the grassroots of one incorporating the development of players and improving their skills,” he said.

In Labrador West, Humphries says there are over 300 young people playing hockey.

Throughout the week there were tournaments, and opportunities for players to attend camps and improve skills.

In Labrador West there were hockey games that included players of all ages, from novice on up.

“During those games you could see the real spirit of hockey as the older players really took care of the younger ones,” Humphries told The Aurora.

Upcoming

Another big event for the LWMHA is the Bill Chaplin Memorial Tournament. That takes place Feb. 22-24. The tournament is for atom age players. There will be teams from Labrador West, Fermont, Churchill Falls, Happy Valley-Goose Bay and Sheshatshiu.

The tournament is a memorial to Bill Chaplin, who organized the first atom tournament in Labrador West and continued on for about three decades before he passed away.